HONG KONG, May 2 (Reuters) - Standard Chartered PLC ( SCBFF )

posted on Thursday a 5.5% rise in its first-quarter

pretax profit, beating estimates, as higher interest rates

bolstered earnings at the emerging markets-focused lender.

StanChart, which earns most of its revenue in Asia, said

statutory pretax profit in the quarter was $1.91 billion. That

compared with $1.81 billion a year earlier and the $1.39 billion

average of 13 analyst estimates compiled by the bank.

(Reporting by Selena Li; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)